The present invention relates to an arrangement which allows software notes to be used in much the same fashion as sticky-back paper Post-it(copyright) notes are currently used.
Computers are currently used to execute a wide variety of application programs. Such application programs include, for example, design and manufacturing programs, spread sheet programs, word processing programs, programs to facilitate access to data bases, programs to create graphics, and the like. As the number and kinds of application programs continue to proliferate, as computers become easier to use, and as people become increasingly accustomed to using computers, the types of application programs will continue to grow.
While a computer is executing such application programs, the computer user may be offered many occasions on which it would be desirable to create one or more notes. For example, on one occasion, a computer user may be working on one or more application programs when the computer user receives a telephone call. During that telephone call, the computer user may be presented with information which the computer user may wish to memorialize for later access and use or which may spark ideas which the computer user does not want to forget. On another occasion, the computer user may wish to be reminded of some action which the computer user desires, or is required, to take in the future, such as to make a telephone call or to fill out a time sheet. On yet another occasion, the computer user may want others to take some action, such as to review or revise a document.
On all of these occasions, a computer user would traditionally write down the appropriate information on paper notes. Paper Post-it(copyright) notes are very convenient forms of such paper notes. Paper Post-it(copyright) notes are simply removed from a dispenser pad of sticky-back paper Post-it(copyright) notes, and are applied to various surfaces such as documents, the tops of desks, telephones, or the like. Information can be written on paper Post-it(copyright) notes either before or after the paper Post-it(copyright) notes are detached from their dispenser pad or attached to their target surfaces. Paper Post-it(copyright) notes can be easily moved from one surface to another, such as between documents or between documents and the tops of desks, they can overlap edges or boundaries of documents, they can be layered, and they can be moved with the objects to which they are attached.
However, it is often more convenient for a computer user who is currently using a computer to create a software note on the computer instead of manually writing out a paper note. For example, the note may relate to the contents of one or more documents of the computer""s application programs. In such cases, it may be much more convenient to associate the note with a document as the document is saved in the computer""s memory, or as the document is displayed on the computer screen. On the other hand, even if the note does not specifically relate to such a document, it still may be more convenient for the computer user to create a note on the computer. For example, if the computer user must take some action while the computer user is using the computer, a reminder note is much more useful if it can be attached to the desktop of the computer display so that the reminder note remains in the computer user""s view even while the computer user moves from application program to application program or when all documents are closed.
Application programs currently exist which permit a computer user to generate a software note, and to attach the software note to a document of an application program. Such a note can be created, deleted, edited, saved, and selectively viewed. A computer user may move such a note within a document, or between documents, by cutting the note from a document, storing the note in a clipboard, and then pasting the note to another area of the same document or to a different document. The contents of the note may be entered by use of a keyboard, or by taking a snapshot of a document or of a portion of a document. The background color and size of a note can be selected, the note can be hidden or shown on a selective basis, the note can be stacked with other notes, and the note can be resized. A note can be saved with or without a date and time stamp and, if it is saved with a date and time stamp, the note can be automatically called up as a reminder note on the day and/or at the time stored with the note.
However, current note software programs have a number of problems. For example, many current note software programs must be resident in an application program so that the note software program cannot be interfaced with other application programs installed on the same computer. Therefore, a note for an application program in which the note software is not resident, or moving a note from a document of an application program in which the note software is resident to a document of an application program in which the note software is not resident, is impossible.
Moreover, notes generated by current note software cannot be easily moved. Moving a note between documents in the same application program, between documents of different application programs, between desktops, and between documents and desktops, is cumbersome since the note must be cut from its existing location, saved in a clipboard, and then pasted to its new location.
Notes generated by current note software cannot be easily dispensed, cannot be dispensed from the title bar of a window, cannot overlap the boundary of a window, and cannot be automatically saved without additional user instruction. While notes created by current note software can be attached to a document within a window so that the note moves with the document, notes cannot be attached to an object, such as a character, a word, a sentence, a paragraph, a graphic, a cell, a page, a video, a video frame, a video segment, a sound, or the like, so that the note moves with the object to a new site in the same document or in a different document. Notes created by current note software cannot be attached to a window so that, if the note is attached to a first portion of the window, the note moves with a scrollable section of the window, and so that, if the note is attached to a second portion of the window, the note does not move with a scrollable section of the window.
Icons have been used in connection with computer programs to open documents, to offer a selection of menu options, and to perform functions such as deleting documents. In some instances, icons are automatically saved. To a very limited extent, information, such as icon names, can even be inserted in certain icons which are created either by the computer program author or by the computer program user. However, even though limited information can be added to an icon, an icon is not a note. Unlike a note, an icon is merely a symbol which acts as a connection to an object in order to permit access to that object. For example, an icon permits access to a document, or to options from a menu represented by the icon. By contrast, a note is the object itself. A note can be accessed by way of an icon, and a note contains data. Data can be entered directly into a note, but data cannot be entered directly into an icon. The extent to which an icon can accept information is too limited to make the icon at all useful as a note.
The present invention overcomes one or more of the problems discussed above.
In one aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so that first and second windows are displayed, and so that the first window has a note. The note is moved from the first window directly to the second window so that the note is moved from the first window to the second window without storing the note in an intermediate storage location.
In another aspect of the present invention, a first program is executed in a data processing system, wherein a first region is displayed in response to execution of the first program, and wherein the first region has a note. A second program is executed in the data processing system, wherein a second region is displayed in response to execution of the second program, and wherein the first and second programs are different programs. The note is moved from the first region directly to the second region so that the note is moved from the first region to the second region without storing the note in an intermediate storage location.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an indicator of a data processing system is moved to a note dispenser. A first note is grabbed from the note dispenser by use of the indicator, and the first note is moved to a location by use of the indicator. The indicator is moved to the note dispenser. A second note is grabbed from the note dispenser by use of the indicator, and the second note is moved to a location by use of the indicator.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a window is displayed in response to execution of program code in a data processing system. A note overlapping a boundary of the window is displayed in response to execution of program code in the data processing system.
In a still further aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system to display a note in a region. Changes to the note are automatically saved without user instruction.
In another aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so that a window is displayed, and so that the window has an object therein. A note is attached to the object in the window so that the note moves with the object.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a window is displayed in response to execution of program code in a data processing system, wherein the window has a first portion and a second portion. A note is attached to one of the first and second portions of the window in response to execution of program code in the data processing system so that, if the note is attached to the first portion of the window, the note moves with a scrollable section of the first portion of the window and so that, if the note is attached to the second portion of the window, the note does not move with the scrollable section of the window.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a window is displayed in response to execution of program code in a data processing system, wherein the window has a scrollable portion. A note is attached to the window in response to execution of program code in the data processing system so that the note does not move with the scrollable portion of the window.
In a still further aspect of the present invention, a window is displayed in response to execution of program code in a data processing system, wherein the window has a portion within which contents, such as contents of a document, are visible. A note, having a predetermined area, is displayed in response to execution of program code in the data processing system so that, if any portion of the predetermined area of the note is within the portion of the window, all of the note is displayed.
In yet a further aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so that a window is displayed and so that the window has a resizable note. Resizing of the note is limited so that the note cannot be resized off of the window.
In another aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so as to display a window having a boundary and so as to display a note in connection with the window. The note is moved across the boundary of the window.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a window having a title bar is displayed in response to execution of program code in a data processing system. A note symbol is displayed in the title bar in response to execution of program code in the data processing system.
In still another aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so that first and second regions are displayed, and so that the first region has a note. The note is dragged from the first region directly to the second region.
In a further aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so that first and second regions are displayed in response to execution of the program code. A first note is attached to the first region. A second note is attached to the second region. At least some information concerning the first and second notes is added to an index.
In still a further aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so that first and second notes are displayed, and the first note is moved so that the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.
In yet a further aspect of the present invention, program code is executed in a data processing system so that a note is created wherein the first note has an option, and wherein the option has first and second states. The note is attached to a region so that, if the first state of the option is selected, the note moves as the region scrolls, and so that, if the second state of the option is selected, the note does not move as the region scrolls.
In still a further aspect of the present invention, a first program is executed in a data processing system, wherein the first program is an operating system, and wherein a first region is displayed in response to execution of the first program. A second program is executed in the data processing system, wherein a second region is displayed in response to execution of the second program, and wherein the first and second programs are different programs. A third program is executed in the data processing system in order to attach a note to one of the first and second regions, wherein the third program is compliant with the first and second programs, and wherein the third program is not a part of the first and second programs.
In another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus includes a region displaying means for displaying first and second regions, a note displaying means for displaying a note at the first region, and note moving means for moving the note from the first region directly to the second region so that the note is moved from the first region to the second region without storing the note in an intermediate storage location.